Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was odd being the only one awake, Thrash mused to himself. The signal from Robbie and Mo was quiet and calm. An unusual experience for the normally late rising Terran. Looking over, he could see his sister grumbling something about foxes in her stasis. Rubbing at his optics, he opted to leaving Twitch be.
Exiting the barn, Thrash scanned the still grey yard. Over on one corner, he could see bumblebee stacking haybales, preparing for the training in the morning. Grabbing the two closest bales, he made his way over silently. Closer he got to the larger bot that hadn’t noticed him yet, he could hear a low humming buzz from his vents.

“What song his that?” Bumblebee startled at the sudden appearance of the small bot suddenly offering two haybales at his shoulder. Thrash gave a happy exvent at this. Maybe he should’ve thought through teaching them stealth first.

“It’s a song that a… friend wrote when we still at war. He would bounce it off me, trying to get it as perfect as possible. His goal was to perform it after the war” Bee focused his optics on setting up the obstacles in front of him. His face was pained, but blank. Thrash nodded, unsure what to really do. He definitely wasn’t the smartest, that award went to Twitch. Matter of fact, he wasn’t sure what his thing was yet. Leaning into Bee side as the older bot collected his thoughts seemed to help though. The drew in another breath finally and continued with his story. “After the final battle, I couldn’t find him. No one could find him. All that we could find was his autobot insignia. We had been on the same field together. I had seen him just before our victory, I just, he was some of the last energon spilled.”
The two sat together.
A Autobot forged in war and a Terran forged in the peace afterward.

Chapter Text

Thrash muttered some words he had heard mum yell through the window when he was pretty sure that she didn’t know she was there. He was lost in the middle of the woods no idea which way is home and the comms weren’t working. Huffing, he perched himself on a rock going over his options. He could just stay here, and wait to be found. That's the plan that Mum and Dad had outlined for in case anyone got separated. Twitch and Jawbreaker would probably go with this plan, while setting up some sort of signal for the others to find them. Nightshade and Hashtag would try to get where they could get signal to call in the others. Thrash rubbed between his optics again. What would Bumblebee do. While he hadn’t given any advice, which was usually a sign to follow what Mum or Dad recommended, Bee also didn’t give the vibes of being one to sit still and be rescued. He would’ve rescued himself, and so would Thrash. Nodding determinately at his decision, Thrash got up and chose a random direction to head in.

Maybe Thrash chose the wrong direction. Resting at a riverbed after a refill, going over his options, Thrash noticed that the surrounding woods had gone surprisingly. On guard now, he pulled out his shield, facing the trees behind him. As long as it isn’t another one of those goop bear monsters, he should be fine. Thrash shuddered again at the recollection of the gross, slippery monster standing over him. Rustling of the trees on his left drew Thrash’s attention, raising the shield to cover his face better.
The trees parted, pushed aside by the cybertron, slightly taller then Bumblebee, with a red and exhaust pipes coming from their forearms. The bot stared at Thrash, optics flitting over Thrash’s form. Drawing into himself more, Thrash prepared to fight. An unmarked Bot could not be good news. Friend, foe or backstabber. The newcomer was an dangerous unknown. Only when Thrash took a step backward, did the other bot make a movement. Kneeling down to be more on Thrash’s level, raising his servo’s in a placating action.
“Hey, whoa. No need to run, we’re both from cybertron here,” The new bot smiled, shuffling closer on his knees. Thrash nodded silently, wary at the lack of distance. “Coolio, so I’m Hotrod.” The newly named Hotrod jerked his thumb into his chest. “And what’s your name little guy.”
Thrash gulped, optics searching for a escape route. “Thrash, are you with the Decepticons or the Autoboots?”
Hotrod threw his head back at the question, chuckling. “Does it matter? Wars over now, those titles will only divide us now. Sort’ve ruins the whole point of finishing the war in my opinion” He was only an arms distance away from Thrash now. It’s now or never, Thrash thinks, taking a leap for the route he saw. Just as he began transforming, Hotrod’s arm stuck out to catch him, effectively halting Thrash’s escape. “Whoa, whoa, I just want to talk Thrash.”
Thrash huffs, struggling in Hotrod’s servo before giving up, hanging limp. “What do you want to know.” He growls out.
Hotrod beams at this, moving them both closer to the tree line. Knocking over one of the trees, he sets Thrash down on the part of the trunk clear of branches. Hotrod sets to clearing some of the branches further down the tree to give him a place to sit. “Hows about what your doing out here all alone then?” He questioned, flicking away the branches he had pulled out.
Thrash mulled over his response. How much could he tell this ‘Hotrod’. What would he do with any information that Thrash divulged. He didn’t want a repeat of Swindle. “I … got lost.” He eventually settled on. The red bot hummed at that, hissing when one of the branches got caught between the plating on his fingers. Waving his servo, Hotrod nodded for Thrash to continue. “I just… I cant get in contact with the others. My siblings, ‘nd Dad an-,“ Thrash was cut of with a yelp as Hotrod grabbed him with both his shoulders, bringing them to be face to face.
“You need help finding your Dad? I can help with that.” Hot rod cheered.

Chapter Text

“All right, do you have a rough idea of where they could be. Landmarks, features, that sort’ve stuff.” Hotrod asked, stretching his arms.
“Somewhere near Witwicky” Thrash finally landed on, not wanting to give away the real location.
“Huh? Really, wouldn’t have expected that. Last I saw, it was crawling with Ghost agents. Most aren’t really fans of them, when I was in the war.” Hotrod mused absentmindedly. “Like some were all right, some weren’t. How’s it going with those that stuck around ‘em?”
This was information Thrash could give without a guilty conscious. “Ghost fell a couple of months ago.” He informed the red bot. “Turns out they didn’t really see us as equals.” He sighed, slouching at the memories of the battle that ensued after they had shown their real colours. “More of weapons.”
“Not surprised. Shame though, wish I could’ve been there. Get the chance to punch this one guy that called me a ‘Hot wheels knock off’. Can you believe that guy?!” Hot rod wiggled his brow at Thrash, summoning a chuckle from the terran. Satisfied, Hotrod pulled up a map projection. “So, this is where we are,” He motioned at the flame icon that took up most of the screen. “And this…” He zooms out on the map until another red icon popped up on the map. “Is Witwicky. You really made quite the distance. Think it’ll take a couple cycles to get back.” Thrash stared despairingly at the distance on the map. “Luckly, most of the way is forest, so we don’t have to over worry about being caught.” Hot rod remarked.
Thrash nodded, preparing to transform again, when Hotrod scoops him up again. “What? Come on let’s go.” Thrash complains, struggling to escape Hotrod’s grasp again, being as successful as all previous times.
“Nah, reckon this is faster” Hotrod disagrees, transforming down into a striped race car, Thrash perched on the roof. “Plus, much funnier in my opinion.” With that they took off, dodging between the trees.

Chapter Text

After the first two cycles of driving, filled only with Hotrod’s one-sided banter, they stopped to take a break. Thrash dropped off the side, allowing Hotrod to exit his altmode, talking in a nonstop babble of his experience back on Cybertron, the fifth topic he had landed on in the last five minutes. Hotrod flexing as Thrash went off to grab a relatively thick stick.
“Hey Thrash,” Turning, he saw Hotrod had seated himself, patting at the spot next to him, offering the seat. Thrash took it, as Hotrod, pleased with himself, pulled out a flask and offered it to Thrash. He raised his brow in question.
“It’s only energon. You need it. Probably been going longer than me, since your last refill”
“I …” It’s still not a good idea to talk about terrans. Thrash thinks that they’re still a sort of open secret for mechs that aren’t part of one of the factions. “I’m still full.”
“You can ask for it if you need it later.” Hotrod sternly scolded. “Even if you are smaller then me, you still need energon.” He tipped his head back as Thrash returned to his dirt drawing.
A few seconds of silence ebbed.

“Hey, you don’t talk much, more of a silent guy huh?” mused Hotrod, lowering his flask of energon. Thrash shrugged his shoulder plates, focusing on his dirt drawing of Floppy ears. “Wanna elaborate?”
“It just feels like anytime I open my mouth outside of my family, I cause a problem, and then they have to step in to clean up my mess.”
“Here’s the thing I didn’t shut up. Drove Rachet up the walls. Kept threatening to weld my mouth shut if I didn’t. Unsure about Shockwave though.” Hotrod furrowed his brow in a internal conflict of Shockwaves morals.
“He wasn’t too bad when I met him” Hotrod must’ve cracked his neck with how quickly he turned to face Thrash.
“He’s a secret softy?! Man, this is rich, give me the deets. I want everything.” Leaning in, He mimed getting ready a book and pen. Nodding enthusiastically, he motioned for Thrash to start. He blinked owlishly back.
“ Heee… likes this one cow, Floppy ears. The again, everyone loves them.” Thrash motions to the crude drawing at his feet.
Hotrod nods along, “Be small and cute. Got it.”
“The first time we met him, he tried to blow us up. Said that we shouldn’t exist,” he admitted. Hotrod froze staring wide optics at Thrash. “It’s all right, Megatron told us that Shockwave was wrong. It’s not like it really matters. We’ve been told this multipl-.“
He was cut off, being wrapped in Hotrod’s embrace. He had only a handful of these types of hugs, where he was smothered in another’s hold, where the universe seemed to stop for this one moment of safety. Thrash felt himself melt into the hold.

Hotrod lowered his head to be just next to Thrash’s audio receptors. “Don’t let anyone else ever say that again.” He whispered horsy. Thrash nodded silently, burrowing his head further into Hotrod’s chest plating. After a while of hugging, Hotrod started humming a familiar tune. Bumblebee’s missing friend’s song. Maybe it wouldn’t be too dangerous of an idea to bring Hotrod back to the farm.

Chapter Text

They were getting close now. Familiar patterns of bushes and trees indicated as much. At some point they’d intercepted with a road.  Hotrod stating that he’d rather not have to deal with any organics at the moment after Thrash suggested following it back into town.  

“Also I doubt that you’d be set up directly inside of town. Got any signal from them yet.”

Thrash paused, focussing in on the terran connection while making a show out of working his comm. Feeling the familiar brush of six other consciences, he grins starting up the comm.  

“Hello anyone hear me!” A barrage of excitement both through the comm and connection causes him to stumble a little. Hotrod backs off a little, so his wheezing won’t get caught by the mic.

“Yeah I’m fine,” Thrash starts again once the chatter dies down enough for his words to be caught by the others, “I got help from Ho-“

Hotrod is flapping his arms to catch Thrash’s attention and upon seeing he’d caught it, mouths ‘surprise’ with a wide grin.

Nodding Thrash continues, “Someone you may know. He wants it to be a surprise!” Following up with the mental message *Bee knows him, he’s safe*. Mo, Twitch and JB reply with a mental squeal of excitement, Robbie listing off everyone from his comics and Hashtag requesting a mental image.

*“Where are you currently.” * Nightshade doubles down on asking.

“Uhhhh…” Thrash looks over to where the red racer sat patiently,  who pulls up the map again. “Just east of the southern bridge. Heading to the barn.”

*Uugh, I’m nowhere near there* Hashtag sighs in a wave of disappointment. *You better have the video camera on you right now*

*Nightshade and Bumblebee are the closest * Robbie adds. *we’ll meet you at the barn*

“Don’t take a cybertronian you wont identify to the barn agai-“

“Okay, got it! Meetyouatthebarnloveyouguysbye!” Quickly cutting off Bee, Thrash turns to grin at the chuckling speedster. “Guess we better get going then!”

Hotrod nodded, still laughing, as he pulls himself up to follow Thrash’s lead.

A metal shriek called from overhead, looking up, he recognised the shiny metal owl.

Hot rod frowned, following his gaze. “Huh, Laserbeak must’ve gotten a new paint job.”

Nightshade circled a couple more times, before swooping down, transforming back into their base mode, skidding a little as they pull Thrash up into a hug.

“Where have you been Thrash, it’s been a week. And you could’ve given us some warning before you hung up. They got so mad.” Nightshade finally motioned back to Hotrod openly staring. “And who’s this.”

Seeming to come back to himself, Hotrod puffed out of his stupor with a little bravado, “Hotrod, and you are?

“Nightshade, they them.”  Came the snappish remark, polite but to the point.

“My little sibling,” Thrash tacks on as his spark drop at Hotrod’s scrutinising look.

Hotrod startles slightly before letting out a snort. “Ah still a sparkling then.” He lean over to give a head rustle that Nightshade ducks out under of. “Sorry, didn’t know that beasties came that small.”

Something crashes close by.

“Wait, is it ‘cause the allsparks missing? Did what I just say offensive?”

Heavy footsteps.

*You should’ve seen this coming* -Nightshade

A replay of memory.

Suddenly Swindle is standing by Thrash’s side.

A yellow frame charges past him, shouldering into someone he looks up to.

The memory warps, as Hotrod wraps his legs around Bumblebee’s waist and flips him over.

“Aiiee, Bee! Your out of practice there, bud!” Hotrod calls as he staggers up. “Could hear you coming from a mile away!”

“We thought you’d died you bolthead!”

“You thought that I could be taken out? Please Bee, I thought you knew me.” Chuckled Hotrod, batting his optics.

“We found your insignia on the battlefield and nothing else. Tell me what else we were supposed to think.” Bee shouted back, getting right into Hotrod’s face.

Hotrod scanned Bumblebee, unbothered smile still on his face though there was a sound of something cracking.  Thrash quickly glanced over at Nightshade hoping for some sign of what direction to take but finding none. All right what would Twitch do- no self-confidence. Right!

Inserting himself between the two larger frames and starting on the cheery tone that Bee had used when separating him and Twitch “Isn’t it better that you have him back now, right?!”

After a few klicks, Hotrod finally backs off. “He’s right, we can talk about this later.” He glaces quickly down at the terrran duo.  “Reckon Thrash needs to dock at somepoint anyway.”

Bumblebee shoots him a sideways dead pan. “He isn’t a cassette-bot, Hotrod.”

“You’re fragging with me, Bee!” Hotrod laughed, clapping a servo on the shorter bot’s shoulder. “Look at ‘em. Barely past my knee. Minibots don’t get down that size. You know that shorty.” Readjusting his grip to give Bumblebee a noogie gives the scout the chance to slip out and away from the barrage of affectionate attacks.

Bumblebee sighed exasperatedly. “Thrash, please transform.”

Thrash nodded slowly, limbered himself up, and whipped around to transform.

Hotrod just froze, looking down at the newly formed motorcycle.